The Defence Headquarters has dismissed as propaganda a video clip circulating on social media, falsely claiming to depict footage from the recent attack on troops in Marte, Borno.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, clarified this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Kangye confirmed that a thorough analysis by relevant authorities revealed the video was unrelated to the Marte incident. He noted that the visual content, terrain, and operational context clearly showed the footage was from a different location, originally posted on December 7, 2020.
“The video clip is being deliberately recycled and manipulated by criminal elements and sympathisers of terrorist groups to mislead the public and sow seeds of fear. They are aiming at dissuading the public from the gains being recorded by troops of the Nigerian armed forces in the ongoing operations across the country,” he said.
Kangye stated that troops in Marte were attacked on May 12 at about 0300hrs but successfully repelled the assault after a fierce gun battle. A large number of terrorists were neutralized, while others fled with bullet wounds. He explained that the terrorists resorted to sharing old footage as propaganda to deceive the public.
“This act of misinformation is not only malicious but also a failed attempt to demoralise our gallant troops and undermine the confidence of Nigerians in the armed forces. The armed forces condemns in the strongest terms this reckless dissemination of fake content and warns that those behind such disinformation campaigns will be identified and held accountable in accordance with the law,” he said.
The defence spokesman reaffirmed the Nigerian military’s unwavering commitment to defending the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He emphasized that troops in the North East and other operational theaters remain resolute, making significant progress in dismantling terrorist networks.
“We urge the general public to disregard the fake video and rely only on official sources for verified information on military operations. The support and cooperation of all Nigerians remain vital in the collective fight against terrorism and all forms of insecurity,” he added.
